Germany’s chancellor’s trip to China raises controversy at home

On Thursday, a German member of the European Parliament said concerns have
been presented at home about the timing of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s
upcoming travel to China and the signals he will send to Beijing.

The Green Party’s Reinhard Butikofer stated in Taiwan that Scholz’s one-day
visit is “perhaps the most contentiously disputed tour in the country for
the last 50 years.” Scholz is a member of the ruling coalition.

The first European head of state to visit China since Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, which Germany has vehemently opposed, will be Scholz, who will
travel to Beijing on Friday. Beijing has supported Moscow diplomatically.